Z = Zigzag

We have reached the end of my alphabet series on “This Maine Life.” The word “zigzag” seemed most appropriate to use for the final letter entry. I have several reasons for this choice.

First, Helen Augusta Blanchard is a name not heard frequently in the state, but she was a Maine woman who was an ambitious inventor. She had 28 patents in her lifetime. The National Academy of Engineering explains a bit about her:

She filed her first patent in 1873 for what was perhaps her most famous invention: the zigzag sewing machine. This zigzag stitch sealed the raw edges of a seam, which made garments sturdier. Her 1873 machine is now part of the Smithsonian Museum of American History collection.

How fitting that a Mainer helped to make something “sturdier.” Well done, Helen!

Second, this month of highlighting various aspects of Maine felt like a verbal zigzag. There are so many ways to describe our state — in its physical features, culture, history, and everyday life. I’ve barely scratched the surface over these past weeks. That variety is one of the things I love about Maine.

Third, if you were going to describe the type of climbing you need to do in Maine, especially along the rocky shoreline, it’s a type of zigzag activity as you navigate giant boulders and avoid slipping on seaweed. In fact, there are few places in Maine in which there is a straight line from point A to B. Even attempts to navigate your driveway in the wintertime may resemble a zigzag pattern.

Lastly, this Maine Features journey can often be likened to a zigzag. If you’ve only discovered the blog during this letter series, you might not be aware of the main purpose of my site. I’m on a mission to visit and write about one place in every Maine town. I have been to 28 of them so far. There are around 488 in total (I’ve included only municipalities on the master list — organized towns and cities, not all those T8R10 blocks on your gazetteer). This A to Z month of posts filled in the gap created by the COVID-19 shutdown, but the primary adventure will soon resume. I’m so excited to continue and would be honored to have you follow along. The convenient way to do that is via any of my social media sites or through the newsletter which arrives in your inbox once a week with the latest posts. You can get to either of these options by scrolling to the end of this post.

Thank you so much for being part of this side road detour. I hope it has been helpful and enjoyable for you!

See if I’ve been to your Maine town by checking the index page. It’s organized by county.